Means for and method of establishing communication



March 18, 1930. H. F. JORGENSEN MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION Filed May 25, 1926 -2 Sheets-Sheet l March 18, 1930. H. F. JORGENSEN MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1926 Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITE. I s'r HANS F. JORGENSEN,

or BROOKLYN, new YORK; NORMAN F. JoneENsnnnxEcUToR or SAID ans axaonennsnn, DECEASED MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF ESTABL ZSHING COMMUNICATION Application filed May 25, 1926. Serial No. 111,499.

tween ships.

Heretofore difficulty has been experienced in the work of giving relief to vessels in distress during high storms at sea. In these circumstances, it is impossible to row lifeboats from one ship to another on account of the high velocity of the winds which often are of hurricane proportions and also on account of the high seas which are usually running. Attempts have been made to drift life-boats from a rescuing Vessel to one in distress but these attempts have always proved futile. In drifting'a life-boat, it is necessary to attach a heavy line; for instance,

a three-inch hawser, to the life-boat, and.

upon being launched this hawser sinks into the water in the shape of a very large arc, the weight of which is sufiicient to prevent the life-boat ever reaching the vessel in distress. It will be seen, therefore, that some method or means of propelling a life-boat from one vessel to another would in many instances result in the rescue of otherwise doomed seamen.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for and methods of drifting a life-boat from one vessel to another.

A more comprehensive understanding of the features and merits of this invention can be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the same, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention in practical use;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the sail applied to the life-boat with a portion of the mast broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the mast and sail applied to the life-boat.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 indicates a vessel in distress, 11 a vessel attempting to establish communication with the disabled ship and 12 the life-boat by which such communication is established. The life-boat in this instance is of the type ordinarily carried by seagoing vessels and is provided with certain auxiliary equipment for rendering the drifting thereof from one vessel to another possible. Such equipmentcomprises a sail 13 of triangular shape and ofrelatively small height; for example, about six feet, and of proportionately narrow width. The sail 13 is constructed of the heaviest canvas procurable and the edges thereof are bound with rope 14 adding strength thereto and aiding in the fastening thereof to the lifeoat. grommets at each of the lower .corners there'- of and with a loop or grommet 16' at'the top thereof. Thimbles are provided in each of the grommets to prevent chafing of the rope thereof. The grommets .15 are utilizedfor securing thelower corners, of the sail to the gunwales of the life-boat 12. Aline 17, preferably ofwire, is secured. to the grommet 16 and passes through sail block or sheave 18 near the top of the mast 19 and is then secured to one end of the boat by; the

usual block and tackle 20. Themast in this,

The rope 1 1 is provided with loops or instance is a short heavy spar provided at the bottom with a step 21 which may beseated' semicircular hasp 23 is fastened tothe' edge of the seatadjacent to this cut-away portion sothat it may be clamped around the inast in any suitable manner. As illustrated, the hasp is provided with a s'lot'in the free end adapted to fit over an eyebolt 24. driven into the seat and to be locked by a pin25. A second-wire26 attached to the top of the mast is connected to the opposite end of the boat from the Wire 17 by similar block and tackle 27 for securely holding the mast in upright position.

In'order that the sail may be hoisted or lowered quickly and may be held against the mast 19, it is provided with a reinforcing strip 30 extending centrally the length thereof in which are riveted metallic eyelets'or grommets 31. A rope 32 secured at the lower edge in turn and around rings 33 at each eyelet;

The other end of the rope is fastened to the top point of the sail adjacent to the loop16. The rings 33 are somewhat larger in diameterthan the mast 19 so that they will be free readily to move up and down thereon. From this, it will be seen that with the'sail in a collapsible position, by merely tightening the line 17 it will be raised and held to the mast by the rings 33.

In the "operation of the system, let it'be assumed that the vessel 10 is in distress and is incapable of aiding itself in any manner. The rescuing vessel 11 after approaching as near as possible to the vessel 10, which distance in a hurricane would amount to at least a quarter of a'mile, steams gradually to a be driven steadily on, keeping the line 40 in taut relation-thereto. After the boat has sailed a distance approximately equal to that between the ships, the vessel 11 steams on to and beyond ,the point of dead windward, therebydrawing the life-boat into contact with the ship 10. If so desired, a buoy 41 may be attached to the stern of the boat 12 by a relatively short line 42 of length, for example, of one hundred feet. As soon as the boat 12 is close to the ship '10, members of the crew thereof may secure either the line 4 0or the line 42, and thereby assume control mast andsail will serve as a signal to a rescuing vessel, thereby forming a better slgnalling means than an oar as is the usual pracembodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claim.

Iclaim:-- V 7 Y a V The combination with a sail and a line for raising the same, of means for holding said sail against a mast comprising aplurality of rings slidable on said mast, a'pl'urality of eyelets riveted in said sail, and a line looped through each of said eyelets in such a manner as to encircle an individual ringwith each loop, said second-mentioned line being secured to said first-mentioned line near the top of the sail.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HANS F. JORGENSEN.

of the boat 12. This control having been 7 assumed, the sail is immediately lowered to prevent the boat drifting away from the ship,

and,*if so'desired, the hawser 40 may be cut.

' The shipwrecked seamen may then board the life-boat and, if desired, raise the sail, causing the boat to drift away from the disabled ship. The rescuing vessel 11 steaming in a circle around the ship 10 then will be in position to pick up thesurvivors. v

If so desired, the hawser 40 need not be cut, but the boat with its complement of shipwrecked seamen may be drawn directly to the ship 11. Should the first attempt to sail the life-boat to the ship prove futile, the vessel ll steamingin a circle could repeatthe performance upon reaching windward of the ship 10, as will be evident from the drawmgs.

It will readily be seen that the present invention provides a new and eflicient method and means for drifting a life-boat from one ship to another, and it will be seen also that the absence of a large amount of tackle on the life-boat minimizes the danger of such tackle being fouled by dbris from the disabled vessel which would in most'instances result in the loss of the life-boat. It will be seen also that either the mast alone or the 

